Safety-elevator.



PATENTBD JUNE 25, 1907.

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- V G. L. WHEELER.

SAFETY ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JA .29',19o1.

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GEORGE L..\!\/HEELER.

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GEORGE L. WHEELER, OF ST. LOUIS,

MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ON E-HALF TO CHARLES H. CARTER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SAFETY-ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1907.

Application filed January 29, 1907. Serial No. 354,753.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, GEORG L. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety- Elevators, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact de scription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to a safety elevator, and the object of my invention is to provide anattachment for an elevator which will automatically operate to prevent the elevator cage from dropping should the elevator cables become broken or detached from the cage.

My invention consists of a'pair of spring and gravity actuated pawls carried by the elevator, and a pair of racks arranged on the inner faces of the uprights, between which the elevator travels, with which racks the points of tlie pawls engage when the cables break, and which action prevents the cage from dropping.

My invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims, and

' illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which Figure is a front elevation of an elevator cage equipped with my improved safety attachment; Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the upper portion of the elevator cage, and showing the racks which are attached to the uprights between which the elevator travels; Fig. 3is a plan view of an elevator cage with the safety attachment in position thereon.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings z-1 designates the cage, which is of the usual construction, and which travels vertically between the uprights 2, and to the inner faces of said uprights are bolted, or secured in any suitable manner, the racks 3.

Fixed to the top of the elevator cage and transversely arranged thereon is a housing 4, the ends of which terminate at the sides of the elevator, immediately adjacent the racks 3; and formed in the sides of the housing 4 are curved slots 5.

Formed integral with the center of the housing 4 is a bearing 6, through which operates a vertically disposed rod 7, on the upper end of which is fixed a ball 8, and arranged on the lower end of said rod is a nut 9, there being an expansive coil spring 10 arranged hetween said nut 9 and the top of the elevator elevator cage is suspended and operated.

Compound curved arms or pawls 13 are pivotally connected to lugs 14 formed on opposite sides of the ball 8, and the lower ends of said arms pass through the outer ends of the housing 4.

Fixed in each of the arms 13 is a horizon tally disposed pin 15, the ends of which pass through the corresponding curved slot 5 in the housing 4, thus limiting the movement of the arms in both directions.

When my improved elevator is in operation, the cage, by reason of its weight, maintains the lowerends of the arms 3 within the ends of the housing 4; and, when so positioned, the ends of the pins 15 occupy the up per ends of the slots 5 and, when in this po' sition, the expansive coil spring 10 is partially compressed. Z

Should the elevator cables break and there be danger of the cage falling, the weight of the ball 8 and the power stored in the coil spring 10 will instantly act as soon as the cage is free, and the rod 7 and ball 8 will be moved downwardly, thus forcing the lower ends of the arms 13 outwardly, and the ends thereof will engage between the teeth of the racks 3, thus automatically and instantly stopping the cage.

An elevator attachment of my improved construction is simple in construction, positive in action, can be applied to any elevator wherein the cage is suspended by cables, and is very effective in preventing elevator cages from falling, and resulting accidents.

I claim:

The combination, with an elevator cage and the upright guides therefor, of racks fixed to the inner faces of the guides, a housing fixed on the top of the elevator cage, there being curved slots formed in the outer portions of said housing, a rod arranged for vertical movement through the center of the housing, an expansive coil spring arranged on the lower end of the rod, a weight fixed on the upper end of the rod arms pivotally connected to opposite sides of the weight, the In testimony whereof, I have signed my lower ends of which rods operate through the name to this specification, in presence of two ends of the housing, pins carried by the arms, subscribing W tnesses. I

which pins operate in the slots in the hous- 1 GEORGE L. WHEELER. ing, and a perforated plate integral with the Witnesses:

top of the weight for attaching the cables M. P. SMITH,

supporting the elevator cage. v E. L. WALLACE. 

